Package for solid diffusing material



June 2, 1970 F. J. CURRAN 3,515,302

' PACKAGE FOR SOLID DIFFUSING MATERIAL Filed March 14, 1968 1722/6252 fira/rzi iaur'flaii/ US. Cl. 220-4 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vaporizable solid mass to be used as a deodorant, insecticide, fumigant or insect repellent is packaged in a container resembling a gazebo. The container is formed of a body portion made of a plurality of vertically and horizontally disposed intersecting ribs providing spaces between the intersecting ribs through which the solid mass can vaporize. A base is friction fitted to the bottom of the body portion and a top is friction fitted to the top of the body. Both the base and the top have an annular recess immediately adjacent the surface which friction fits against the body so that when the base and top are mounted on the body the bottom and top edges of the body will slip into the recesses and assist in holding the container together. The surface of the bottom and the top which friction fits against the container may be slotted in the same direction as the ribs so as to enable the top and bottom to be mounted on the body without distorting the ribs. The top and bottom ends of the body portion surfaces may also be formed with a lip or with protuberances or beads preferably located between the ribs, if the base and top are slotted, and assist in holding the top and base fast to the body portion. The container may be made of plastic material or may be made of cardboard or metallic wire. A wrapper such as cellophane or other clear plastic may be used to enclose the solid body before it is inserted in the container; or a wrapper may be placed over the body portion with the edges wedged between the body portion and the top and bottom base respectively; or both may be used. Instead of or in addition to either or both of the foregoing, the entire package, including the container, may be enclosed in a suitable bag or wrapper which prevents any substantial vaporization before the package is opened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a package in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view partially in elevation and partially in vertical cross-section showing the construction of the top and base and themanner by which they are fastened to the body portion.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary partial elevation and cross-section showing a modification of the structure of the top of the package.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary partial elevation and cross-section showing a modification of the structure of the top end of the body portion.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a package and container which can be placed on a flat surface, as, for example, on a table or mantle and which will permit vapors to diffuse from a mass of solid vaporizable material in order to provide a deodorant, odorant, fumigant, insecticide or insect repellent or other vapor in the space in which the package is set. The container is preferably made by pressure or injection molding of plastic material. The container is made in three parts: a body portion United States Patent 3,515,302 Patented June 2, 1970 composed of vertical and horizontal cross ribs providing a plurality of vents between the ribs through which the material contained therein can vaporize; a base is fitted to one end of the body portion and a top is fitted tothe other end of the body portion by friction fit. The surfaces of the base and the top adjacent to those which friction-fit against the body portion are formed with annular recesses into which the bottom and top edges, respectively, of the body portion fit when the container is assembled. The friction surfaces of the top and bottom may also be formed with slots to accommodate the ribs and prevent them from being deformed when the base and top are mounted on the body. The vaporizable mass or body may be separately wrapped in transparent plastic such as cellophane, or other wrapping material'offering a vapor barrier, to prevent or instigate vaporization prior to use; or the wrapping material may be placed around the body of or the entire container. If desired, the vaporizable mass and the container may both be placed in a wrapper in order to provide additional sealing against vaporization. The outside wrapper may be placed over the entire container or it may be placed only over the body portion with the ends of the wrapper wedged between the mating surfaces of the body and the base at one end and the top at the other end; or all three types of wrapping or any combination of two may be used.

DETAILED DESCRllPTION The numeral 1 indicates generally the body portion of a cylindrically shaped container preferably made of plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. While I prefer to make the body from plastic material, it may be made from metallic wire or cardboard. The body portion is preferably molded in the form of a cylindrical bird cage with vertical ribs 3 and horizontal ribs 5. Where the body 1 is molded from plastic material the ribs will intersect and be welded to each other in an integral structure. It will be apparent that the same type of cage can be punched out of a sheet of metal or cardboard after which it is bent into the shape of a cylinder and the edges bonded to each other. A plurality of vents 7 are formed between the intersecting ribs which allow the vapors to escape from the solid body which may be composed of vaporizable material or of solid not vaporizable material impregnated with vaporizable material. Although I have shown the body as being cylindrical in shape it is apparent that it can be any other shape, such as a trior tetrahedron. It should also be understood that the vents in the body portion may be round, diamond or other shape.

The upper and lower ends of the body are formed with the horizontal annular ribs 9 and 11, respectively. Base 13 having fiat rim portion 15 and upstanding collar portion 17 is adapted to be friction fitted to the bottom of body portion '1. The inner surface 19 of collar 17 immediately adjacent the top end thereof has a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the bottom rib 11. The surface diameter gradually decreases inwardly of the collar 117 until it is slightly less than the diameter of rib 11 as shown at 21. The inner surface: of collar 17 between the section 21 and the rim 15 is undercut or recessed at 23 to provide a seat for the bottom rib 11. Since the surface 17 has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of rib 11 the base will remain attached to the body portion until pulled apart.

The top 25 has a structure similar to that described with respect to bottom 13. Although the top shown in the drawing is conical in shape to resemble a gazebo, it is to be understood that any shaped top to give the desired ornamental effect may be used. The top has a collar 27 depending from the under surface thereof. The internal surface 29 of the collar 27 immediately adjacent the end 31 is slightly greater in diameter than the top rib 9 so that the collar can he slipped over the rib. The diameter of the section 33 of the inside surface of collar 27 immediately adjacent to the area 29 has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the rib 9. Immediately adjacent the area 33 the surface of the collar is undercut at 35 to provide a seat for the rib 9 when the top is forced onto the top end of the body portion.

A solid mass of deodorant, etc. such as paradichlorobenzene or naphthalene is molded to the shape of the body 1 and placed therein. The solid body of odorant may be first wrapped in cellophane or other plastic material in order to seal it against vaporization. In addition to the wrapper placed around the body of odorant, an additional wrapper of cellophane or other material having a low permeability to vapor may be placed around the body portion with the ends folded in against the mass of deodorant. Such a wrapper is indicated by the numeral 37. The wrapper will then be wedged between the rib 11 and the base on one end and the rib 9 and the top 25 at the other end, thereby providing a seal.

When the ribs 9, 11 and 3 lie in the same surface, the ends of the ribs 3 are distorted inwardly when the base and top are forced on to the ends of the body. Such distortion may rupture the ribs if the pressure is too great. To guard against this contingency, the inside surfaces 21 and 33 of base and top, respectively, are formed with slots 39 of just sufiicient width and depth to accommodate the ribs 3 without distorting them when the top and bottom ribs of the bottom portion are sealed in their respective recesses in. the base and top.

A further modification of the structure is shown in 'FIG. 4 wherein protuberances or beads 41 are formed around the outer surface of the end ribs 9 and 11. If the base and top are slotted as above described, these beads will be spaced so as to lie between ribs 3 when the top and base are assembled with the body portion. If slots are omitted, it is immaterial whether the beads are in line with or between the ribs. The beads or protuberances 31 are adapted to seat in the recesses 23 of bottom 13 and recess 35 of top 25. Where beads 21 are formed on the top and bottom ribs 9 and 11 and these beads extend laterally beyond the surface of the ribs 3 the diameter of the surface 33 can be made the same as the diameter of the outside of the body, thereby avoiding the necessity of slotting the surfaces 23 and 35 since there will be no inward pressure of these surfaces against the ribs 3. The protuberances 41 will extend out sufiicient to engage against the wall of recesses 23 and 35. Instead of beads, the top and bottom ends of the body portion may be formed with a lip or flange adapted to seat in the recesses 23 and 35.

The top 25 is formed with a vertical recess 43 at the apex thereof. Recess 43 may pass entirely through the top 4 in order to provide a means of passing a cord therethrough to hand the container, if desired, or the recess 43 may have a solid bottom and merely provide a place to insert the stem of a small flag, flower or other ornamental device.

I claim:

1. A container formed of molded, solid plastic material for a solid mass of vaporizing material comprising (a) a hollow body portion in the form of an open ended elongated cylinder formed by a plurality of spaced cross-ribs having a plurality of spaced vents in the walls thereof;

,(b) said ribs defining said vents;

(c) a base separably joined to the bottom of said body portion;

((1) a separable top joined to the top of said body portion;

(e) the top and base being joined to said body by a friction fit;

(f) the face of the top and bottom forming said friction fit with said body being vertically slotted at intervals corresponding to the vertical ribs of said body, and

(g) the ends of said body ribs being accommodated in said slots.

2. A container in accordance with claim 1 in which .(h) the surface of the top and base immediately adjacent the face that forms a friction fit with the body is recessed, and

(i) the top and bottom edges of the body lie in the recesses of the top and base, respectively.

3. A container in accordance with claim 2 in which (j) the top and bottom edges of the body portion are formed with spaced lateral protuberances which seat in said recesses of the top and base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,681,827 6/1954 Raiz 239-57 2,801,879 8/1957 Dick 23957 2,809,863 10/1957 Curran 23960 2,962,219 11/ 1960 Curran 239-60 2,979,268 4/ 1961 Brun 239-60 3,017,117 1/ 1962 Klingler 23957 3,424,380 1/1969 Curran 239-60 FOREIGN PATENTS 631,433 11/ 1949 Great Britain.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

